Outgoing Offaly U21 football team manager Padraig Farrell has launched a scathing attack on county board officials, accusing them of “unfair dismissal”, a lack of accountability and acting in an “unethical” manner.

The appointments process for the U21 job has descended into chaos for a second successive year after Declan Kelly stepped down from the role last November having been appointed without agreeing to take the reins.

In a lengthy and hard-hitting statement, Farrell said: “I still do not know why I have been dismissed.”

He said: “I rang county chairman Padraig Boland on October 26 and left a message for him, and to this day he has not returned my call.

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“I feel this is a case of unfair dismissal and feel it is about time it is known how the county board feel they can treat people. They are a law unto themselves with seemingly no accountability for their actions.

“This is not the first time that the county board have acted unethically and I feel it is about time that the public is made aware of this.”

At last night’s county board meeting, it was indicated that Farrell’s successor would be in place within two weeks.

At the same meeting, Kevin Ryan was confirmed as the new Offaly senior hurling manager, though not without considerable disquiet.

Former Kilcormac/Killoughey boss Danny Owens is believed to be particularly aggrieved at his treatment.